The Taki Kenwood watch has been my go-to watch for about 2 years now. Its clean yet classic aesthetic gives it enough versatility to be worn with almost anything, and at a price that won't break the bank. It retails at $99 dollars and comes in a variety of unique colors. I chose the Tan/Cream option because I needed a watch with more a vintage feel. These watches are designed in Minneapolis, MN (my home town) and are named after different cities in Minnesota. The watches themselves are not made in America, but they still have a high quality feel and construction (for the price point).

This watch has a Japanese movement that has been running smoothly for the past 2 years. The ticking is nice and quiet and it keeps time very accurately. The diameter of the face is 43mm and for my wrist, its the perfect size. Not too big (like an obnoxious Nixon) and not too small (like a women's watch).

The design of the face is super clean and minimal, only displaying 3 numbers and a small red Taki logo on the right side. The metal casing has a nice black finish that has proven itself to be very durable through several years of wear and tear. The glass is also very durable and scratch resistant. You can physically see the thickness if you look at the bottom of the number 6 in this picture. I can't tell you how many times I've accidentally banged it against a wall, and its just as clear as the day I bought it.

The back plate is made entirely of stainless steel and has the logo, material, and origin lightly etched into it. The only additional info I wish it had was some reassurance that it is water resistant (like most watches have on the back). I had to find this out myself, but it is in fact water resistant enough to wear in the shower and a swimming pool.

The Taki website says the band is made of genuine leather, and it looks like genuine leather, but it doesn't necessarily feel genuine. Don't get me wrong, its very comfortable and looks great, but it feels somewhat stiff and fake. Maybe there is a protective coating applied to make it last longer, or maybe its just a cheaper leather. I mean, the watch is only $99 bucks so I guess you get what you pay for. But regardless of wether its authentic or not, its looks great and has held up nicely against abuse and water exposure over the years.

The contrast of the thick black stitching gives it a beautiful contemporary feel. Here you can see some mild wear and tear showing on the leather band.

The metal clasp has a very nice high-gloss black finish and is super low-profile. I scrape it against table tops all the time and it hasn't shown any sign of wear yet. Which is amazing considering most metals with a black finish typically wear off or chip easily. This one is surprisingly high quality for the price point.

The adjustment knob is slightly ribbed for better grip and is the only metal on the watch that has shown any wear. An antique looking brass is emerging beneath the black finish and actually gives the watch a nice bit of patina.

Like I mentioned in the intro, the clean aesthetic of this watch allows it to be worn in any sort of environment without looking out of place. I wear it to work everyday and practically forget it's on my wrist because it's so comfortable.

And since it's only $99 bucks, I'm not afraid to take it out into harsher environments. I wear it when I go hiking and appreciate the convenience of not having to pull out my iPhone when I wanna check the time. Also, I've noticed it still has great visibility, even in low light situations, because of the blacks hands against the white face. This contrast almost gives it glow-in-the-dark functionality without the tackiness of actually having a glow-in-the-dark function.

The Overview

The Taki Kenwood is a great go-to watch for everyday use. It's clean yet classic aesthetic lends itself to be worn in any environment and it's incredibly cheap price point allows you to get down and dirty without any worry. The band is made of a cheaper leather that feels a little stiff/plasticy, but again, at a $99 dollar price point, you get what you pay for. The high quality & accurate Japanese timepiece definitely makes this watch worth picking up.

Rating: 9.0 / 10

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